How to Write a Follow-up Emails In 2025? (Templates & Examples Included)

Most people think it is the first email that matters. 

Well, if you have ever run an email campaign, you have the answer.

What I have learnt is that follow-up emails boost the response rate to around 25-35%.

Follow-up emails actually get more responses than the first one. 

Hence, you have to focus more on the follow-up emails to get those opportunities closed. 

The truth is, people are busy. They miss emails (just like we do).

It is the follow-up that gets your prospect’s attention towards your first email. 

A follow-up email reminds the recipient of your previous interaction and prompts them to take the next step.

All you have to do is draft a perfect follow-up email that offers real value without wasting your prospect’s time. 

This follow-up email guide will cover:

• How to write follow-up emails that actually get replies
• When to send them (timing matters more than you think)
• Templates and examples for every situation

How to Write a Follow-Up Email?

Whether you’re seeking a reply after no response, a job interview, or a meeting, here’s a simple follow-up email format to help you out👇🏼

1. Check When You Sent the Initial Email

Before you start drafting your follow-up message, first check when you sent the first email.

If you have just sent it a day ago, then don’t follow up yet. 

Wait for 2-3 more days.

Why?

Because sending an email for follow-up the next day makes you sound desperate, impatient, and pushy.

2. Keep the Follow-Up Under the Same Thread

When sending a follow-up email, make sure you reply under the same thread as your initial message.

This will make your recipient’s life easy! 

They don’t have to waste their time figuring out who you are and why you are following up. 

To start drafting the follow-up email:

• Open your initial email
• Select “Reply” to respond directly inside the same thread

3. Write a Short Subject Line

This is an optional step!

You can send your follow-up email with the same subject line as your initial email. It’s not a bad practice!

If you are using the same subject line, you can just add “following up” at the end. 

Just like this 👇🏼

Re: [Original Subject Line] – Following Up

But if you feel like editing your subject line (of course, for better results), you can definitely do that.

Here are some awesome subject lines that you can add to your follow-up emails→

• “Coffee, maybe?”
• “Great seeing/meeting/listening/talking to you at [event/destination]”
• “Loved our chat – Looking forward to next steps!”
• “Excited to collaborate on [Project Name]!”

Just keep in mind that if you use a new subject line, your follow-up email will be sent as a new email, but it will see your previous email with the context. 

4. Start with a Warm & Personalized Greeting

It’s always a good idea to open your follow-up email with a greeting line that addresses the recipient by name.  

Because no one wants to read an email that starts with “Hi!” and isn’t addressed to anyone. (Be honest: even you would ignore such emails, right?)

You can start your follow-up email with these greeting lines:

• “Hey [First Name], checking in to see how things are going!”
• “Hi [First Name], hope your week is off to a great start!”

Such a greeting line makes your recipients feel like these emails are specifically written for them, encouraging them to read further.

5. Remind Them of Your Previous Interaction

After the personalized greeting, you need to give them context by mentioning when you last spoke in 1-2 sentences. 

Like: 

• “I really enjoyed our phone call last week discussing [topic]”. 
• “Just following up on the email I sent last week [topic]”.

This provides a brief recap of what you discussed and reminds your recipients of who you are and why you’re reaching out to them again. 

6. Mention the Clear Purpose

After providing the context, it’s time to get to the point—the reason or purpose for following up. You should mention the purpose clearly, like are you asking a question, waiting on a decision, or just checking in?

Simply put, you need to tell specifically why you are sending the email again. 

Here are some examples:

• “I wanted to check in and see if you had a chance to review that proposal I sent?”
• “Just circling back to see if you were able to confirm our meeting for next Tuesday at 2 PM?”
• “Have you heard any updates regarding my job application? I’m interested in the role and wanted to check in.”

Following up with such quick context and a specific task will make it easy for them to respond positively.

7. Show How You Can Provide Value

In addition to stating your purpose for reaching out again, you should also consider adding new or important resources, such as eBooks, PDFs, etc., that are relevant to your conversation.

This will ensure that your recipients re-engage in the conversation with you. 

Here is what you can write:

• “I’m sharing this [resource/guide] that could help you [solve a problem/achieve a goal]. Hope you find it useful!”
• “I wanted to pass along this [eBook/whitepaper] on [topic]. It has some good tips on [what it covers], and I think you’ll find it helpful.”

Doing so will highlight your value proposition and increase the chances of getting a response.

Here is how you can do it →

• Use Bullet Points
• Keep Paragraphs Short
• Bold Important Text (But Don’t Overdo It)
• Maintain a Consistent Font & Size (Use readable fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, with font size between 10 and 12 points)
• Left-Align Your Text

8. Include a Clear & Actionable CTA

Now it’s time to complete your follow-up email body by softly guiding the recipients to take the next action. 

Here are a few CTA examples you can use in your follow-up emails. 

• “I would love to hear your thoughts when you can.”
• “Open to chatting more about this sometime this week?”
• “Happy to send more info if you’re interested.”

You may believe it or not, but simple phrases like

• “Thank you for your time.” 
• “I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this further.”

 Can significantly contribute to maintaining goodwill.

9. Sign Off with Your Name and Contact Information

You can end your follow-up email with these popular sign-offs:

• “Best,”
• “Thanks,”
• “Cheers,”
• “Warm regards,” 

Then add:

• Your full name
• Your role/company
• Phone number(optional, but helpful)
• Your website or any social media links (but don’t keep more than one link in your email) 

10. Proofread Your Email

Finally, give your follow-up email message a final read before hitting the send button.

(Don’t worry, it will not take more than 4 minutes! )

While proofreading, make sure you look for 

• Typos
• grammatical errors
• awkward phrasing or unclear sentences
• Word count (aim for less than 100 words)

Pro Tip: Read your email aloud. If something sounds off, fix it before sending.

Once you’re confident everything looks good, go ahead and hit send!

16 Follow-up Email Templates & Examples

Below, I have shared proven email follow-up templates and examples for various use cases.

I’ve crafted them using the best email writing practices so that you don’t have to put in much effort. 

1. First Cold Email Follow-Up Template
2. Follow-Up Email Template to Send After a Cold Call
3. Job Application Follow-Up Email Template
4. Follow-Up Email After No Response
5. Follow-Up Email Template to Request an Update
6. Follow-Up Email Template to Send After a Meeting
7. Sales Follow-Up Email Template
8. Follow-Up Email Template After a Networking Event or Conference
9. Freelance Pitch Follow-Up Email Template
10. Follow-Up Email Template for a Partnership or Collaboration
11. Follow-Up Email Template for Late Payment
12. Guest Post Request Follow-Up Email Template
13. Proposal Follow-Up Email Template
14. Follow-Up Email After LinkedIn Outreach
15. Post-Webinar Follow-Up Email Template
16. Follow-Up Email Template with Valuable Resources

Just copy, paste, and customize as needed.

1.  First Cold Email Follow-Up Template

First Cold Email Follow-Up Template

Subject:
Hey {{First Name}}, remember me?

Hi {{First Name}},

Just following up on my last note. Thought you’d find this helpful: [Link to case study/article].

We recently helped [Client Name] achieve [specific result], and I think we could do the same for {{Company Name}}.

Open to a quick chat?

Best,
{{Your Name}}

2. Follow-Up Email Template to Send After a Cold Call

Follow-Up Email Template to Send After a Cold Call

Subject:
Great speaking with you, {{First Name}}

Hi {{First Name}},

Great connecting earlier! Just wanted to quickly recap—we talked about [problem/goal] and how we could help with [solution/benefit].

If you're open to it, I’d love to set up a quick demo or call to dive deeper.

Let me know what works best for you.

Best,
{{Your Name}}

3. Job Application Follow-Up Email Template

Job Application Follow-Up Email Template

Subject:
Thanks for the Opportunity, {{Interviewer’s Name}}

Hi {{Interviewer’s Name}},

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the {{Job Title}} role. I enjoyed learning about {{Company Name}} and your approach to [insert something specific].

I’m enthusiastic about the opportunity and confident I can contribute to your team.

Let me know how we are going to take this further.

Best,
{{Your Name}}

4. Follow-up Email After No Response

Follow-Up Email After No Response

Subject:
Following Up: {{Topic}}

Hi {{Recipient Name}},

Just following up on my earlier message about {{topic}}—wondering if you had a chance to review it.

I’ve included {{resource/link}} in case it’s helpful.

Let me know if you have any questions or need anything further.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Best,
{{Your Name}}

5. Follow-Up Email Template to Request an Update

Follow-Up Email Template to Request an Update

Subject:
Following Up: [Briefly refer to your initial request]

Hi {{Recipient Name}},

Just checking in on my email from {{Date}} regarding {{brief topic}}.

Wanted to see if there are any updates or if you need anything else from me to keep things moving.

Happy to assist however I can.

Thanks again for your time!

Best,
{{Your Name}}

6. Follow-Up Email Template to Send After a Meeting

Follow-Up Email Template After a Meeting

Subject:
Follow-Up: {{Meeting Name/Topic}} – {{Date}}
Hi {{Recipient Name}},
Thank you for your time on {{Date}}—I appreciated your insights on {{meeting topic}}.
Here’s a quick summary of our discussion:
 • {{Key Point 1}}
 • {{Key Point 2}}
 • {{Key Point 3}}
We agreed that {{Action Item 1}} will be handled by {{Person}} by {{Due Date}}, and {{Action Item 2}} by {{Person}}.
[Optional: Attached is the document we discussed.]
Let me know if you need anything clarified. Looking forward to {{next step}}.
Best,
{{Your Name}}

7. Sales Follow-Up Email Template

Sales Follow-Up Email Template

Subject:
Still curious about {{pain point}}?

Hey {{First Name}},

Great chatting earlier! Hope the demo showed how {{Product Name}} can help with {{pain point}}—especially with {{key feature}}.

Let me know if you have any questions or want to talk through anything in more detail. Happy to hop on a quick call.

Best,
{{Your Name}}

8. Follow-Up Email Template After a Networking Event or Conference

Follow-Up Email Template After a Networking Event or Conference

Subject:
Great Connecting at {{Event/Conference Name}}

Hi {{First Name}},

Really enjoyed meeting you at {{Event}} on {{day/date}}—our chat about {{specific topic}} stuck with me. Loved your take on {{something they shared}}.

Would be great to stay in touch and explore {{next step, e.g., how we might collaborate}}.

Open to a quick follow-up call or sharing ideas over email?

Looking forward to keeping the conversation going!

Best,
{{Your Name}}
{{LinkedIn (if relevant)}}

9. Freelance Pitch Follow-Up Email Template

Freelance Pitch Follow-Up Email Template

Subject:
{{Client’s Name}}, any thoughts on the {{Project Name}} proposal?

Hi {{Client’s Name}},

Just checking in on the proposal I sent for {{project/service}}—would love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions.

If you’re still exploring options, happy to chat about how I can support {{specific goal/value}}.

Let me know if there’s any update or if a quick call makes sense.

Best,
{{Your Name}}

10. Follow-Up Email Template for a Partnership or Collaboration

Follow-Up Email Template for a Partnership or Collaboration

Subject:
{{First Name}}, Can We Make This Partnership Happen?

Hi {{Partner’s Name}},

Just checking in on our chat about a potential partnership between {{Your Company}} and {{Their Company}}—really excited about what we could build together, especially around {{specific idea/project}}.

If you’re still interested, happy to map out next steps.

Open to a quick conversation?

Best,
{{Your Name}}

11. Follow-Up Email Template for Late Payment

Follow-Up Email Template for Late Payment

Subject:
Follow-Up on Payment – Invoice {{Invoice Number}}

Hi {{Client’s Name}},

Hope all’s well! Just a quick check-in on invoice {{Invoice Number}}, which was due on {{Due Date}}.

Totally understand if things are hectic—just wanted to see if there’s an update or anything you need from me.

Appreciate your time, and happy to resend details if needed.

Best,
{{Your Name}}
{{Your Company}}

12. Guest Post Request Follow-Up Email Template

Guest Post Request Follow-Up Email Template

Subject:
Following Up on My Guest Post Submission

Hi {{Recipient’s Name}},

Just checking in on the guest post I submitted for {{Blog/Website Name}} on {{Submission Date}}—excited about the chance to contribute on {{topic/title}}.

Would love to hear your thoughts or any feedback if you’ve had a chance to review it.

Thanks again for considering it!

Best,
{{Your Name}}

13. Proposal Follow-Up Email Template

Proposal Follow-Up Email Template

Subject:
Follow-Up on {{Project Name}} Proposal

Hi {{Client’s Name}},

Just checking in on the proposal I sent over for {{Project Name}} on {{Date}}.

Would love to hear your thoughts or questions—happy to adjust anything if needed.

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help move things forward.

Best,
{{Your Name}}
{{Your Company}}

14. Follow-up Email after LinkedIn Outreach

Follow-up Email After LinkedIn Outreach

Subject:
Revisiting the Value of {{Product/Service}}

Hi {{First Name}},

Just following up on my LinkedIn message—totally get how busy things get. Quick tip that’s worked well for {{industry/role}} teams: {{brief, relevant insight}}.

If you’re still open to chatting about {{offer}}, I’d love to show how we could help you {{specific result}}.

Open to a quick call?

Best,
{{Your Name}}

15. Post-Webinar Follow-Up Email Template

Post-Webinar Follow-Up Email Template

Subject:
Thanks for Joining “[Webinar Title]” – Your Thoughts?

Hi {{First Name}},

Thanks for joining “[Webinar Title]” on {{Date}}—hope it brought you some useful insights!

Would love to hear your thoughts or if there’s anything you’d like more info on.

Happy to send over resources or continue the conversation if helpful.

Best,
{{Your Name}}
{{Your Company}}

16. Follow-up Email Template with Valuable Resources

Follow-Up Email Template with Valuable Resources

Subject:
Follow-Up + FREE Resources from Our {{Event/Discussion}}
Hi {{First Name}},
Great chatting about {{topic}}—really appreciated your time and insights on {{specific point discussed}}.
As promised, here are a few resources that might be helpful:
• {{Resource 1}} – {{Brief description or link}}
• {{Resource 2}} – {{Brief description or link}}
• {{Resource 3}} – {{Brief description or link}}
Let me know if you’d like to chat further!
Best,
{{Your Name}}

When Should You Send Follow-Up Emails?

Experts suggest sending your first follow-up 2–3 days after the initial email.

If you’re sending multiple follow-ups, space them out strategically. Gradually increase the time between each follow-up to avoid overwhelming your recipient! 

Here is an ideal follow-up email sequence that I swear by! 

4 Mistakes You Should Avoid While Sending Follow-Up Emails

Before writing an email follow-up, look at these mistakes that many people (and I have observed) make when they are writing their emails for follow-up.

1. Avoid Using “Just Following Up” In Your Subject Line
2. Don’t Sound Demanding
3. Waiting Too Long to Send the Follow-up Email
4. Not Following the Deliverability Practice

PS: Make sure you avoid these mistakes, otherwise your emails will be ignored.  

Mistake #1: Avoid Using “Just Following Up” In Your Subject Line

When you use just “checking in” or “ just following up”  in the subject line, it gives the recipient no incentive to respond, and they may ignore your email.

You can use these terminologies when you are asking for a work update in your company. 

Otherwise, you should altogether avoid using it! 

Therefore, write a catchy and relevant subject line to ensure your recipient opens your follow-up email. 

Mistake #2: Don’t Sound Demanding

When you are writing the follow-up email, you should avoid using phrases that seem entitled or bossy, like 

• “I need you to provide pricing immediately.” 
•  “Let’s get this scheduled ASAP.”

These phrases sound disrespectful and can offend the recipient. 

Instead of this, consider writing polite requests like: 

• “When you have a chance, let me know if you need any additional details from me.” 
•  “If you’re interested, I’d be happy to set up a call at your convenience.” 

Doing so will increase the likelihood of your prospects responding to your follow-up emails.

Mistake #3: Waiting Too Long to Send the Follow-up Email

Sending a follow-up email after 2-3 weeks makes no sense, right? 

If you send your first follow-up after too long, it might look like your email is unimportant or that you’re not serious about your message.

Therefore, make sure you follow up within a reasonable timeframe, which is 2-5 business days, depending on the use case. 

Mistake #4: Not Following the Deliverability Practice

Email deliverability is not just a popular concept for sales and marketing people. 

It is relevant to everyone who uses email as a communication channel. 

Without good email deliverability, your emails will land in the spam folder and won’t reach your recipients.

Here are the basic email deliverability practices you should follow to avoid your emails landing in the spam folder: 

• Send an email to the correct email address 
• Avoid spam trigger words
• Keep your content relevant and personalized
• Provide a clear unsubscribe option
• Use a reputable email service provider 
• Avoid too many links or attachments

How to Send Follow-Up Emails?

Follow these steps for sending follow-up messages 

• Open the original email thread
• Click “Reply”
• Write a short, polite, and clear message
• Hit send

But you are a human and can only do so much.

Hence, to save your time, I would suggest that you take help from email follow-up software

Any good email follow-up software will have lots of pre-made follow-up for specific use cases. It will even allow you to personalize them.

Here’s the best part: If you feel that creating follow-up emails is time consuming, then you can try Saleshandy where you can create personalized follow-up variants and test them out for better performance.

Key Takeaways for Writing the Perfect Follow-Up Emails

Ah! That was a lot of information to process and implement. 

If you’re short on time and just want to get started, no problem.

Here are the key things to focus on when writing follow-up emails—the kind that actually get replies (and don’t get ignored).

• Every follow-up email holds an opportunity to reply
• Don’t send follow-up emails too soon; wait for 2–5 business days
• Always send email follow-ups in the same thread. 
• Don’t forget to write about the purpose of the email
• Write a short, polite, and clear email
• Add an actionable CTA
• Use email-follow-up software to automate the entire process and save your time

Common FAQs About Sending Follow-Up Emails

1. How many follow-up emails should I send?

Well, you can send multiple follow-up emails, but as a general rule of thumb, it is optimal to send 2-7 follow-up emails. 

However, the exact number of follow-up emails can vary depending on the context, such as whether you’re following up for

• Lead generation
• Taking an update
• Business proposal
• Job interview
• After meeting 

2. Why send follow-ups?

Follow-up messages will help you to reconnect and continue conversations with your recipients, which can eventually lead to more fruitful connections and closed deals.

3. How often should you send follow-up emails?

For first follow-ups, 1-3 days after your initial outreach is ideal. For cold contacts, space out follow-ups progressively. Try 1 week after the initial email, 2 weeks after the 1st follow-up, then 3-4 weeks for any additional notes. The goal is to remain at the top of my mind without being overbearing.

4. What should I do if I still don’t get a response after multiple follow-up emails?

If you still don’t get a response after multiple follow-up emails, it’s best to shift your energy to other prospects after a couple of attempts.

5. How do I automate a follow-up email in Gmail/Outlook?

Gmail and Outlook don’t natively provide the auto follow-up feature. You will have to use a third-party email outreach tool like Saleshandy to send automated follow-up emails.